IDSEGI Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Yeoul couldn’t figure out what Ihan was really thinking, and it left him unsettled.

But the one who was truly thrown off was Eunha.

‘What is this?’

Eunha had been an avid fan of Ihan ever since the early days of his awakening as an Esper. When he was younger, he had even once dreamed of dating Ihan for real.

But he had known full well it was an impossible dream, and once he began liking Yeoul, he neatly folded those feelings away.

And now, the hero he had admired so deeply and the man he loved were about to fall for each other. Eunha was witnessing the moment his fandom and his unrequited love were both collapsing.

Even though Yeoul was putting on a cold, curt act, his eyes were already looking at Ihan like someone gazing at the person they love. Ihan’s gaze toward Yeoul was filled with interest, too.

“Uh, excuse me! Esper Yoo Ihan. If you came because of the research cooperation request, you should talk to me!”

Eunha jumped in, determined to wedge himself between them. But Ihan only smiled and pushed lightly at Eunha’s shoulder. It wasn’t rough, but the pressure carried an intimidating weight.

“You said you canceled it, so let’s just forget that.”

The cold look in Ihan’s eyes, as if telling him not to interfere, made Eunha’s stomach drop. He had the sudden feeling that Esper Yoo Ihan might not be as kind and gentle as he had imagined.

Weighing his feelings as a fan against his feelings for Yeoul, Eunha chose the side his heart leaned toward more. No matter how much he liked Ihan, Yeoul, the man he loved, was more important.

“Then you should head back to Zone 1 now…”

He had decided to send Ihan away, but Ihan cut him off.

“Since I’m here anyway, I thought I’d have a look around Zone 5 before heading back.”

Ihan turned to Yeoul again and smiled at him more beautifully than anyone else.

“Mr. Yeoul, be my Guide.”

Yeoul’s chest jolted at the words. Be his Guide? Did that mean Ihan had realized they were imprinted? Yeoul forced himself to appear calm.

“I already have a primary Esper. I can’t be your Guide, Esper Yoo Ihan.”

He thought it was a firm refusal, but Ihan slipped around it like a snake.

“I didn’t mean that Guide. I want you to show me around Zone 5. Be my guide as in a tour guide.”

For a moment, Yeoul almost thought he had misunderstood Ihan. That is, if not for the way Ihan’s gaze burned like he was ready to devour him whole.

“I’m busy.”

“Really? With how quiet the gates have been lately, you can’t be that busy.”

“A Guide’s duties aren’t only about guiding Espers. There’s plenty of other work.”

Yeoul answered stiffly and tried to leave, but Ihan was relentless. Still blocking him with his foot, Ihan’s eyes curved smoothly.

“Then give me a guiding session. My numbers are high.”

“…What?”

The mention of high numbers made Yeoul’s heart drop. He quickly grabbed Ihan’s wrist and checked his watch.

Thirty-eight percent. Not exactly high, but considering how few gates there had been lately, it wasn’t low either.

Without realizing it, Yeoul’s voice rose.

“Why didn’t you get guidance?”

You don’t even know me yet. You have no memories of loving me, no memories of our time together—so why?

His breath felt tight. Why hadn’t Ihan gotten guidance from another Guide?

Because I’m still alive?

If I’m alive, does that mean I can’t save Ihan? I came back to the past to change the future, but maybe fate can’t be changed so easily.

If I die, then…

If I die right now, I can save Ihan. If I die right now…

“Guide Han Yeoul!”

Ihan’s voice calling his name snapped him back to himself. He looked worried.

“Are you alright? You suddenly look pale.”

“I’m fine.”

Yeoul stepped back and turned his head. His breathing evened out again. He must have looked strange, but he had to pull himself together and send Ihan away. Taking a deep breath, he met Ihan’s gaze again.

Those light brown eyes made his heart constrict. My beloved Ihan. My one and only.

For you, I could die again and again. I could turn back time over and over. I could stab without hesitation if I had to. That’s how much I love you.

But Ihan… I’m tired too. Let’s not repeat this anymore. Making me bury you four times is too cruel.

“Esper Yoo Ihan. Find another Guide. I have absolutely no intention of being yours.”

With that icy retort, Yeoul walked away.

* * *

Of course, giving up there wouldn’t be like Yoo Ihan.

Looking at Ihan sitting in front of him now, Yeoul stifled a sigh. Despite the flat rejection, Ihan had trailed after him everywhere.

“Why aren’t you going back?”

“Because you’re here, Mr. Yeoul.”

Ihan answered his question without a hint of shame. What does me being here have to do with you? Yeoul swallowed back the anger rising in his throat. Don’t get drawn in.

“I’m busy.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes. I can tell.”

“Right? So don’t mind me and just do your work. I’ll just follow you around while you do it.”

Even when Yeoul openly brushed him off, Ihan met it with a smiling face. It wasn’t that Yeoul believed the saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face—but with Ihan, it was different.

Look at that face. How are you supposed to say anything against it?

Whenever their eyes met, Ihan’s naturally curved gaze made Yeoul’s heart tremble. Why was he so handsome? It wasn’t just a matter of him being photogenic. His beauty was the kind that could make even a monk who had kept his vows for decades fall in love.

But Yeoul couldn’t let himself be swayed by that beauty. Somehow, he had to send Ihan back to Zone 1.

“Please just go now. If you cling like this, any affection that might have existed will disappear.”

“I don’t have any affection to lose anyway, so what harm is there if it disappears? Wouldn’t it be better to at least get to see your face a little longer?”

Yeoul was at a loss for words. This guy was really…

“Esper Yoo Ihan. Behaving like this in someone else’s zone is a nuisance.”

“I’m not a nuisance. I was formally invited to Zone 5, so I’m here as a guest.”

“That reason doesn’t exist anymore. You refused the research cooperation request.”

“Then I’ll just say I’m accepting it again.”

He said it so easily. Yeoul’s head throbbed because of him. He had forgotten how persistent Ihan could be. A refusal like this wasn’t enough to make him back down.

“Why is everything so easy for you?”

“I’ll be an easy man for you.”

“No. For me, you’re the most difficult person in the world.”

That was the truth. To Yeoul, Ihan was an unsolved puzzle. If only he knew why Ihan loved him, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard.

“How much have we even met for you to act like this? We’re basically strangers, aren’t we?”

“Oh, so you’re already calling us ‘we’?”

Ihan looked touched. Yeoul felt like his own chest was tightening because Ihan seemed incapable of hearing properly.

“Yoo Ihan, you’re not my type.”

Of course, Ihan was exactly Yeoul’s type, but earlier he had named someone who was the complete opposite of him as his ideal. Ihan was kind, upright, and gentle—he could never match those “requirements.”

“Hmm. I can’t exactly show you right now, so what should I do?”

Ihan looked like he was thinking it over. Right, no matter how good he was, acting like that kind of scoundrel should be impossible for him. Ihan wasn’t some master actor who could perfectly portray someone completely opposite from himself.

“Are the Zone 5 Espers free right now?”

At the sudden question, Yeoul answered without thinking.

“Yes. Since gates have been quiet lately…”

“That’s good to hear.”

A wave of unease washed over Yeoul. Why was he smiling with that much confidence? As Ihan pushed back his chair to stand, Yeoul grabbed him.

“Where are you going?”

“I just thought I’d do some training instruction. Since I’m bored, wouldn’t training be nice?”

There was something unsettling about Ihan’s bright smile.

* * *

Yeoul couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Aaaargh! S-someone help!”

“It’s a monster!”

“Sob… I have kids at home. Please, spare me.”

With the Center Director’s permission, Ihan had gathered all the Zone 5 Espers in the training grounds. At first, the Espers had looked excited—after all, being trained by a national hero was an honor.

Ihan began “training” the gathered Zone 5 Espers under the pretense of instruction. But…

‘Can that even be called training?’

From the looks of it, it was more like a straight-up beating.